MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[D-3 watcher]

Great game in St.louis. The team that won the game might have surprised most,but the fact that is was a great game shouldn't have surprised anybody,with over 1,100 wins between to very good coaches.

[WUPHF]

Wash U has lost at home in the NCAA tournament the last 4 years:

2015 - DePauw (round 1)
2014 - Calvin (round 2)
2013 - IWU (round 2)
2012 - North Central (round 2)

Since the 2008-09 national championship game win, the Bears have just 4 NCAA tournament wins and no trips to the Sweet 16.  Pretty surprising.

It is worse than that.

Washington University has 5 wins in the six seasons since the national championship as the Bears have lost twice to Illinois Wesleyan including the second round in 2010.  They did not go to the tournament in 2010-2011.

I had considered posting the article from the student newspaper about how the team hopes to make it past the second round for the first time since 2008-2009 and including a comment about how I could not bear the thought of another second round loss to the CCIW.  I started feeling superstitious and decided to stay quiet.

[Mr. Ypsi]

For some reason, IWU is staying in a motel in Weston, a suburb of Wausau, which is 30 miles north of Stevens Point. Fantastic town with frigid weather whose top retail stores are Dollar Tree, Ace Hardware and Goodwill. A little history lesson: Wausau is a Chippewa word for a far away place, which must be true as I-39 ends suddenly about 5 miles north of Wausau. Must be all wilderness from there to Canadian border. Give John Baines credit for recognizing talent as Norris wound up at Dubuque rather than St. Francis. At least he didn't wind up in the CCIW. He does pose a significant matchup dilemma.

I have no clue why IWU would be staying that far north of SP.  But I disagree with most of your post: Wausau (a great small city) is the beginning of the REAL Wisconsin, not the end.  Go north, and you'll see what I mean.  WW guys may disagree; I suspect that SP guys will say YEAH.

If you're talking about northern Wisconsin, it's more like, "ya, eh?"

No. Just no.  I suspect you have never been there.  I went there as a kid a number of times, but have no particular recollections.  Most memorably about what they are really like, I went there about 1969, with hair half-way down my back.  The initial reaction when I walked into a bar was hostile; then they bought me a round.  I love it up there!

Of course, you may have just meant that they are as hostile/friendly as Canooks!

[WUPHF]

DePauw was hitting treys (14-21 66.7%). WashU not so much (4-15 26.7%)  Add in WashU. out rebounded 35-27  pretty much the story.

How often does a team shoot 67 percent from three point range and lose?  They had a lot of contested looks and a few ugly shots and they just kept hitting. 

Of course, it would not be March if I did not complain about the officiating.  The officials were terrible.  Far too many phantom fouls called on the floor.

Palucki and Burt picked up two fouls early in the first half the Coach decided to keep them on the bench.  Palucki and Burt, of course, are by far the best rebounders on the team, which explains the rebounding.  I am not sure I would have had them on the bench so long, but well...

I would not have played David Fatoki all 40 minutes either.  The DePauw guards had him on the run for 40 minutes and it showed.  Styczynski looked gassed at times.  The bench played admirably, but the lack of depth showed tonight.

Washington University was very much in this game until the end, but a few bad decisions (the rushed three pointer, down one), a few unforced turnovers, and three Fatoki shots that rattled out and the game was over. 

The Bears had no answers for Tommy Fernitz and Luke Lattner who scored most of their points in the second half--Fernitz in the first 10 minutes, Lattner in the last.

[WUPHF]

If you're talking about northern Wisconsin, it's more like, "ya, eh?"

This is correct, though for whoever said it, the real Wisconsin begins in Tomahawk as that is where the four lane highway ends more or less (the highway was extended) and the lakes begin.

[Gregory Sager]

For some reason, IWU is staying in a motel in Weston, a suburb of Wausau, which is 30 miles north of Stevens Point. Fantastic town with frigid weather whose top retail stores are Dollar Tree, Ace Hardware and Goodwill. A little history lesson: Wausau is a Chippewa word for a far away place, which must be true as I-39 ends suddenly about 5 miles north of Wausau. Must be all wilderness from there to Canadian border. Give John Baines credit for recognizing talent as Norris wound up at Dubuque rather than St. Francis. At least he didn't wind up in the CCIW. He does pose a significant matchup dilemma.

I have no clue why IWU would be staying that far north of SP.  But I disagree with most of your post: Wausau (a great small city) is the beginning of the REAL Wisconsin, not the end.  Go north, and you'll see what I mean.  WW guys may disagree; I suspect that SP guys will say YEAH.

If you're talking about northern Wisconsin, it's more like, "ya, eh?"

No. Just no.  I suspect you have never been there.

Been there a million times, Chuck. Camped there. White-water rafted there. Spent weeks up at the cabins of friends there.

When you're up far enough north in Wisconsin, the dialect shades imperceptibly into Yooperspeak. Trust me on this.

[iwumichigander]

DePauw was hitting treys (14-21 66.7%). WashU not so much (4-15 26.7%)  Add in WashU. out rebounded 35-27  pretty much the story.

How often does a team shoot 67 percent from three point range and lose?  They had a lot of contested looks and a few ugly shots and they just kept hitting. 

Of course, it would not be March if I did not complain about the officiating.  The officials were terrible.  Far too many phantom fouls called on the floor.

Palucki and Burt picked up two fouls early in the first half the Coach decided to keep them on the bench.  Palucki and Burt, of course, are by far the best rebounders on the team, which explains the rebounding.  I am not sure I would have had them on the bench so long, but well...

I would not have played David Fatoki all 40 minutes either.  The DePauw guards had him on the run for 40 minutes and it showed.  Styczynski looked gassed at times.  The bench played admirably, but the lack of depth showed tonight.

Washington University was very much in this game until the end, but a few bad decisions (the rushed three pointer, down one), a few unforced turnovers, and three Fatoki shots that rattled out and the game was over. 

The Bears had no answers for Tommy Fernitz and Luke Lattner who scored most of their points in the second half--Fernitz in the first 10 minutes, Lattner in the last.

Agree Fatoki spent too much time on the floor; had no legs last 5 minutes; did not understand why the Bears did not take it to the hoop more in second half
Shoot 67% 3pt you usually do win especially when your season 3pt avg 35.5% and under 7 per game!!

[Gregory Sager]

If you're talking about northern Wisconsin, it's more like, "ya, eh?"

This is correct, though for whoever said it, the real Wisconsin begins in Tomahawk as that is where the four lane highway ends more or less (the highway was extended) and the lakes begin.

Yes! This.

[WUPHF]

Agree Fatoki spent too much time on the floor; had no legs last 5 minutes; did not understand why the Bears did not take it to the hoop more in second half.  Shoot 67% 3pt you usually do win especially when your season 3pt avg 35.5% and under 7 per game!!

You have got to be kidding! 

I think reading that moved me to the next stage of grieving which is always a much longer process than it should be.  This is good because I was still in the say something inappropriate and make Washington University fans look bad phase.

The thing about the impressive three point shooting is that it allowed DePauw to shake off the nerves which were clearly effecting them in the first 5-10 minutes. 

Coach Edwards had to do something tonight that he rarely had to do this season: compensate for having both Palucki and Burt on the bench.  So I understand why he would keep Fatoki in over the first 20 minutes, but Kucera certainly could have spelled him for a few minutes in that second half.  The Bears definitely needed to take it to the hoop more.

[John Gleich]

How often does a team shoot 67 percent from three point range and lose?

I've seen 65%:

http://www4.uwsp.edu/ATHLETICS/mbb/03-04/mbbgm-32.htm

If it had been 67%, we would have lost. #16 rimmed out at the buzzer... and he'd hit 6 in the game.

That was the first thing I thought of when DePauw hit their first 6/7 from deep. Lawrence hit 8/10 in that first half in Tacoma... but it was our half court shot going into halftime (for the second night in a row) to cut their lead to 4 at 40-36, then Bennett's deep, contested 3 with 9 seconds left that even gave us a chance in OT.  Ah the memories!

Interestingly, #16 rimmed out with 0:23 left a week later... from another guy who had hit 6 in the game too. That allowed for Kalsow to do his magic:

http://www4.uwsp.edu/ATHLETICS/mbb/03-04/mbbgm-34.htm


One would think that 50% from 3 would put a team in a good position to win, too.... but we did the improbable again.

Ah memories!

[iwu70]

I had Wash U winning too, facing Augie on Saturday.  Perhaps the first surprise of many. 

On IWU's defensive strategy, might we see Brady Rose or Jordan Nelson guarding this perimeter big man?  I'm still of the mind that Bausch might be best, even though he often picks up fouls too quickly.  Eric Dortch indeed, where art thou! 

It should be interesting Friday night in SP.  We'll see who wins the "depth" and "hoarding" argument.  Seems to me the Titans have to push it, get up and down the floor and score 78 or more to win.

GO TITANS!

'70

[iwu70]

Good luck to Augie and Elmhurst this weekend, too.  Make some noise for the CCIW.  I would think Augie favored, though John Baines and crew have a tough draw.  But, anything can happen.

'70

[Titan Q]

On IWU's defensive strategy, might we see Brady Rose or Jordan Nelson guarding this perimeter big man? 

WTF?  6-2 Rose or 6-1 Nelson guarding a 6-7 forward?

[Titan Q]

Illinois Wesleyan (19-8, 10-4 CCIW) vs Dubuque (23-5, 10-4 IIAC), 5:00pm Friday at UW-Stevens Point...

Illinois Wesleyan (19-8, 10-4)
G - Dylan Overstreet, 6-3/180 Sr. (11.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 4.7 apg)
G - Bryce Dolan, 6-0/165 Jr. (8.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.2 apg)
G - Pat Sodemann, 6-3/195 Sr. (8.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
F - Mike Marietti, 6-8/245 Jr. (7.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
C - Trevor Seibring, 6-8/235 So. (9.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg)

G - Jordan Nelson, 6-1/170 Sr. (10.8 ppg)
F - Ryan Coyle, 6-6/208 Jr. (7.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
F - Alec Bausch, 6-6/210 So. (5.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
G - Joel Pennington, 6-0/175 Jr. (4.9 ppg)
G - Brady Rose, 6-2/170 Fr. (4.8 ppg)

Dubuque (23-5, 10-4 IIAC)
G - Lucas Ware, 6-1/175 Sr. (10.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.0 apg)
G - Jacob Mohlis, 6-2/160 So. (8.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
G - Brandon Ferguson, 6-3/180 Sr. (10.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
F - Gage Heffernan, 6-4/195, Sr. (14.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg)
F - Andre Norris, 6-7/185 Jr. (20.4 ppg, 8.7 rpg)

G - Kain Arthofer, 6-3/175 So. (4.7 ppg)
F - Tanner Cooke, 6-4/200 Sr. (3.5 ppg)
F - Tyler Ware, 6-6/215 Sr. (2.8 ppg)

Pantagraph - http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/iwu-notebook-coyle-seeks-to-regain-form-in-postseason/article_229c9f12-14ec-5424-bca9-657418c738d3.html

Live video - http://portal.stretchinternet.com/uwsp/

Live stats - http://athletics.uwsp.edu/sports/2012/11/11/MBB_1111125949.aspx

WJBC Radio - http://portal.stretchinternet.com/wjbc/

[iwu70]

Q, you had Sodemann at 6'3" guarding him and Rose and Nelson are better defenders that Sodemann, IMHO, so what's so WTF about that?  If this guys goes to the perimeter, you have to guard him with speed and quickness, not size.  Marietti and Seibring aren't going to stay with him out there, esp. if he shoots threes well.  That's why I earlier suggested Bausch, which I still think is likely, reasonable.  Coyle is not that good a defender on the perimeter.  He will create problems either way from what all have said.  If he's their main scorer, weapon, he may be doubled at points too, or trapped.

Let's just wait and see what Coach Rose does.  I'm sure there will be a plan to slow him down, get the ball out of his hands, make the others doing the scoring.

IWU70